Naomi Campbell to testify in blood diamond case on August 5

Washington: British supermodel Naomi Campbell`s request to postpone her testimony in the war crimes trial of former Liberian President Charles Taylor was approved on Monday and she will now testify on August 5.

The British beauty was summoned by the War Crimes Court in Hague after reports that she was gifted a huge blood diamond by Taylor in 1997 in South Africa. The 40-year-old was earlier scheduled to appear before the court on July 29, but had requested for a later date, reported a news website. Campbell had earlier refused to be a part of the trial but she was subpoenaed on July 1 to appear before the tribunal. Taylor is facing charges of war crimes and weapons trading in exchange for `blood diamonds` during the bloody civil war in Sierra Leone. The prosecution had rested their case against Taylor in February 2009 but they reopened it specifically to call Campbell and actress Mia Farrow and a witness named Carole Taylor, court papers revealed. In their argument to reopen the case, prosecutors said Campbell`s testimony would prove that the former president "used rough diamonds for personal enrichment and arms purchases." Taylor, 62, is charged with five counts of crimes against humanity, including murder, sexual slavery and violence, and enslavement. He also faces five counts of war crimes, including acts of terrorism and torture, and one count of other serious violations of international humanitarian law however he pleads not guilty to the charges. PTI